National Bike to Work Day is one of our favorite times of the year, and it proved its salt again this morning. The League staff was stationed at several pit stops in and around Washington, D.C., to say hello to bicyclists on their way to work. We passed out bike pins, urged visitors to become members and listened to local politicians as they extolled the benefits of bicycling.

Scroll through some of our photos from this morning in D.C., and be sure to send us yours via Facebook, Twitter or in the comments below!

Thank you to everyone who participated in Bike to Work Day 2013!

We were not only celebrating Bike to Work Day a day early, we were also celebrating their new Silver Bicycle Friendly Business award.

Neon yellow shirts were passed out as we convened at Thompson Boat House in Washington, D.C., to ride the last two miles together. It was an eclectic group of riders: high heels, ties, dress shoes, slacks — and some spandex. We snapped photos, gave high-fives, and talked about our routes into and around the city.

I presented the Silver BFB award to the World Bank Group this morning.

The day would be a celebratory and informative event of bicycling. Following our ride there was a Confident City Cycling class led by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association with a bike maintenance class soon after.

The World Bank Group has been part of the Bicycle Friendly Business program since 2009 when they received a Bronze designation. Now, with their recent bike facility improvements, promotion of D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare system through subsidized membership to employees, and increased education efforts, they moved up the BFB ranks last month.

Congratulations, World Bank Group, thanks for the ride!

Alison Dewey
League Program Manager, BFB & BFU

Amy Schiebel, of Denver, Colo., logged the 10 millionth mile in the National Bike Challenge

Here at the League, we love the holiday season. But for us the most wonderful time of the year is the month of May.

And in 2012, National Bike Month was bigger and better than ever before.

In May, we officially launched the National Bike Challenge — a new, nationwide initiative to inspire and empower millions of Americans to ride their bikes for transportation, recreation and better health. The friendly, online competition far exceeded its 10 million mile goal and transformed the lives of countless Americans.

Like the many innovative advocates who put on thousands of Bike Month events nationwide, the League came up with new ways to celebrate, too.

In line with the 2012 theme of One Ride, Many Reasons, we curated the personal reflections and inspirations of a diverse collection of bicyclists from coast to coast for our daily 31 Days, 31 Reasons blog feature. We also partnered with Sierra Club and the National Council of La Raza to release a new fact sheet on Bike to Work Day that showed U.S. bicyclists save a staggering $4.6 billion by biking instead of driving.

Elizabeth Williams of Cali Bike Tours shared her story in the 31 Days, 31 Reasons series

This year was also a first for two other major events. On Mother’s Day, thousands of women (and men) united for Cyclofemme — a global initiative to empower more women to ride and build the community of female bicyclists. And the inaugural Bike to School Day was a tremendous success, too, with more than 700 events across the nation.

Bike to School Day in Savannah, Ga.

We’re already getting excited for Bike Month 2013. Click here for the dates and our Bike Month Guide!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

For instance, Bentonville earned a Bronze designation. The Northwest Arkansas city may have fewer than 40,000 residents, but I bet the name rings a bell. After all, it’s the home of Walmart’s corporate headquarters. And the international corporation has played a key role in the local cycling scene.

Walmart Bike Share Launch (Photo courtesy of Bike Bentonville)

Perhaps the most impressive example of Walmart’s commitment to bicycling on its own campus AND the wider community is the recent launch of its BikeShare program.

As Barbara O’Connor, Director of Walmart’s Walton Life Fitness Center, explains:

The Walmart BikeShare program launched on May 14, 2012 with 80 bikes placed at eight locations within the Walmart campus. Our BikeShare Program which is at no cost to our associates, is a result of a grassroots effort by 20 associates that came together two years ago to develop a plan to help reduce the carbon foot print within our local community. We worked closely with the city of Bentonville and Bike Bentonville to design routes that would incorporate our superior trail system and allow our associates safe passage throughout the community. The program has been well received by our associates. We had over 200 participants sign up during our first week and now have over 500 registered participants and bikes at 14 locations! Considering our heavy usage we have not had any accidents or theft of our bikes.  Our associates have found that riding a bike not only saves them time as they have front row parking when traveling to meetings or downtown to grab a bite to eat, but that this alternative mode of transportation is good for their health. I’ve had numerous associates tell me that once they started riding the BikeShare bikes, they got hooked on cycling and have taken the next step a bought a bike!

That’s not all. Walmart has worked with the city on initiatives that address education and encouragement — which are two of the other key criteria in becoming a BFC.

“In addition to our BikeShare program,” O’Connor says, “Walmart embraces cycling by promoting the annual Bike to Work Day. In fact, many of our executives participate on this ride. We also have a number of departments that get together on a regular basis for group rides after work either on their road bikes or to take advantage of the trails on their mountain bikes… The Walton Life Fitness Center partnered with the City of Bentonville on a mountain bike camp that teaches basic mountain biking skills to local youth and adults. We also partnered with the Bentonville School District for the first bike train on Bike to School Day, as well supporting the Bentonville High School Bike Business and Entrepreneurship program.”

Mountain bike camp (Photo courtesy of Bike Bentonville)

Of course, the dedication to bicycling in Bentonville goes far beyond Walmart.

“Bentonville really is a great example of a community embracing our Bicycle Friendly America programs — using the BFC and BFB programs in particular as a blueprint for action,” says League President, Andy Clarke. “There are world-class mountain bikes trails within a couple of miles of downtown. In fact, you can rent a bike from a local bike store on the town square, ride right past the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on a paved trail — itself part of the 40-mile, Razorback Greenway — and within a few minutes be on great singletrack or quiet country roads. Bentonville also hosts one of the biggest single bike rodeos in the country; has an active Safe Routes to School program; is installing signed routes, shared lane arrows and bike parking throughout the community; and is inspiring regional action on bicycling infrastructure. They’ve hosted an LCI seminar, started a local advocacy group, and are working side-by-side with their biggest local employers to create the kind of quality of life that will attract the best talent in the world to Northwest Arkansas!”

Thanks to Walmart for their leadership in promoting bicycling — and congratulations to Bentonville for becoming one of the newest Bronze BFCs.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

Thanks to the efforts of advocates, city officials and new programs, like Denver Bike Sharing, Denver’s urban core has seen a dramatic rise in two-wheeled commuting.

As Bike Denver highlights in a great blog post yesterday, Denver ranks 6th for bicycle commuting among cities with a population of 400,000+, according to the 2010 American Community Survey. And new local data paints an even more impressive picture.

As Bike Denver explains:

The Downtown Denver Partnership’s (DDP) annual commuter survey echoes that growth, reporting commuters in Denver’s urban core are three times as likely to travel by bike. “We are really excited that the bicycle mode share has reached 6.3% in downtown Denver,” Cole Judge, DDP’s Downtown Research Coordinator, reports. “To give some perspective, the bicycle-friendly city of Portland, Ore. has about a 6% bicycle mode share. This means that Downtown Denver is becoming more welcoming for bicycle commuters, offering increased bicycle facilities along with a ‘safety in numbers’ factor of being surrounded by other bicyclists.”

Since 2008 Denver has more than doubled its on-street bike markings and bike parking and launched the nation’s first large-scale bike sharing program. Along with embracing large bike themed events like the city’s first Ciclovia, Denver has recently revised the city bike ordinances, and completed the Denver Moves bicycle and pedestrian plan. Public Works has begun adding new infrastructure components like bicycle lights and separated bike lanes too…

“More people are choosing to bike for convenience or out of a conviction that biking betters our communities,” BikeDenver Executive Director Piep van Heuven said. “The next question facing the city will be: can our infrastructure keep pace with an annual 25% increase in bike trips? Denver needs to continue its commitment to building a safe environment for people who bike.”

Way to go, Bike Denver — and Happy Bike to Work Day to everyone pedaling in the Mile High City!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

With Bike to School Day, Bike to Work Week and the announcement of Bicycle Friendly Communities, there’s no better time to showcase the support for cycling in your community than National Bike Month. And, with the U.S. House of Representatives threatening to eliminate funding for biking and walking in the next federal transportation bill, there’s no better time to make an impression on your members of Congress.

Thanks to YOUR efforts this spring, the U.S. Senate passed a transportation bill that maintains important programs, like Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. But we still face a tough battle in the House. The current extension expires on September 30 and local advocates will play a critical role in making the case that biking and walking projects and programs are popular and cost-effective uses of federal dollars. Bike Month is the perfect opportunity to do just that!

Whatever great events you have planned for Bike Month, please consider inviting your members of Congress. Extending that invitation will allow you to cultivate your relationships with key elected officials; provide positive media exposure for your organization and your members; and clearly show the support for biking and walking in your member’s district.

To help you in that effort, our partners at America Bikes have compiled a helpful toolkit with all the guidance and templates you need. Visit americabikes.org/show_congress for a sample invitation, a script for talking to your member’s scheduler, media tips, messaging advice, a congressional calendar and more. Please reach out to your members of Congress today!

For questions or further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me: (202) 822-1333 or carolyn@bikeleague.org.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

D.C. Bike to Work Day

Today is Bike to Work Day (always the third Friday in Bike Month), and the League celebrated at Washington, D.C.’s event on Freedom Plaza. The event, hosted by WABA, reportedly had more than 8,000 registered for D.C. Metro festivities, while 10,000 in D.C. were expected to ride to work. Freedom Plaza was packed — and packed with a solid representation of the American bike rider. We had people of all ages, backgrounds and clothing styles hanging out, talking about bikes, and having fun.

The speakers at the event were just as impressive as the turnout, and they made all of us bicyclists feel warm and fuzzy. The D.C. politicians get why bikes are important and raved about Capital Bike Share. Even Mayor Vincent Gray was on hand to accept Washington, D.C.’s Bicycle Friendly Community award from League president Andy Clarke — D.C. recently upgraded to a Silver-level BFC. Gray, though, said he wasn’t happy with just Silver and riled the crowd with promises of reaching Gold and one day Platinum.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood couldn’t make it to this year’s Bike to Work Day but he did blog about it on Fast Lane and send FTA Administrator Rogoff and Undersecretary Roy Kienitz to the D.C. event. Rogoff and Kienitz cemented that the Obama administration is behind bicycling. Rogoff said bicycling helps in so many of the Obama Administration’s goals: lowering greenhouse gasses, lowering our dependency on oil, and making better and efficient use of the infrastructure we already have.

It was a great morning, and we hope you all had just as much fun around the country. Don’t forget to check out all of the D.C. Bike to Work Day pictures on Flickr and Bike to Work Day videos on You Tube.

If you’re feeling lucky, the League and Seal Line are giving away Seal Ling bags. You can win with the best Bike to Work tweet today, told in 140 characters or less. We’re taking submissions all day that use the #B2WD hashtag. You may get bonus points if you include our names @SealLine and @BikeLeague!

Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.

Next up is Communications Director Meghan Cahill.

Hi Meghan, happy Bike to Work Week!

What was your favorite Bike to Work Week experience?

My favorite Bike to Work Week experience was Bike to Work Week 2009. I got a new bike, and I biked to work for the first time on Bike to Work Day. My co-workers helped me put my new bike together and helped me find my way from Arlington, Va. to Washington, D.C. My ride is very hilly and at the time the commute seemed like a hundred miles (it was a 16-mile round trip; now it’s a 14-mile round trip) – especially on my uphill ride home. However, my co-worker’s enthusiasm and encouragement kept me riding. That week I became a bike commuter. I sold my car three months later, and now the majority of my trips are taken by bike. I occasionally use the bus or metro.

In addition to Bike to Work Week, how are you celebrating Bike Month this year?

My job as the League’s communications director keeps me immersed in Bike Month – approving Bike Month events across the nation, sending e-news, connecting on Facebook and Twitter and answering tons of press inquires. I celebrate by riding as much as I can and trying to get my friends to ride. This year I got my boyfriend to consider riding to work and one of my friends wants to ride with me to the D.C. Bike to Work Day event. Oh, I’m also celebrating by using my new purse that clips to my handlebars. It’s so cool!

Bike Month is taking off on Twitter (#bikemonth) and Facebook, and the events list is overflowing. What has surprised you or impressed you about Bike Month’s relationship with social networking?

It surprised me how much our members and fans use Twitter and Facebook! They love sharing the League’s information, using the Bike Month logos as their profile pictures (!), sending Twitpics of their rides and using the #bikemonth and #B2WD hashtags in their Tweets. Our Twitter feed is constantly updating and nearly 1,300 Facebook fans have committed to riding and encouraging others to ride by RSVPing to our May is Bike Month Facebook event.

When and why do you ride your bike?

I ride my bike for all my commuter needs and errands – work, the grocery store, going out to meet friends, and all sorts of things in between. Last week, I rode my bike to get a pedicure and manicure – it’s a little tricky not messing up your nails on the way home but they sure do dry fast. I also love to use the Capital Bikeshare system when my friends and family visit. They all rave about the “Meghan Bike Share tours” and how much fun the bikes are to ride around.

Why do I ride? I ride because it keeps me in shape, keeps me healthy (I have asthma, and it really helps to keep my lungs strong), is easy on my joints, and because it elevates my mood. Gotta love endorphins! Bike riding also makes my stronger – and this includes my confidence. Though, I am completely comfortable riding in traffic there are a couple things I hate about D.C – the insane congestion on the roads and the summer pollution (August is a killer for those who have respiratory issues). I like to think that by riding my bike instead of driving that I am part of a solution. Hopefully, other women will see me out there on my bike with my cute handlebar purse and think, “Hey if she can do it, maybe I can too.”

What tips do you have for new bike commuters?

If you don’t have a comfy seat and you are riding 10 or more miles a day, you might want to consider some lycra – I know it sounds heinous. But for ladies, we have great options. You could wear bike shorts underneath your skirt or dress or there are cute and functional cycling skirts and dresses that have the shorts built in. Also, drink lots of water and learn how to change your own flat. It took me a year to finally change my own tube, and it was a great moment for me.

What do you know now that you wish you knew before you started to ride frequently?

Bike riding is just as fun now as it was when you were 10, AND you can sleep in later. I get to work faster on my bike than I do on the metro.

What do you typically wear to ride?

I live seven hilly miles away but during the spring when D.C. feels like northern California, I experiment with wearing my work clothes while biking to and from work. Dresses or skirts with bike shorts work best. If it’s hotter than 70 degrees out, I wear a cycling skirt or bike shorts with a tank or t-shirt, sneakers – no clips, my helmet and some shades. Sunglasses are key. If it’s below 40 degrees, super thick, waterproof gloves are vital. I finally got a pair of the lobster gloves last Christmas, and they completely changed my winter riding. Fleece or wool tights and wicking layers are important too.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Bike commuting saves me money. I do not pay for car insurance, car payments, gas, or tolls. My bike is a smart investment.

Thanks, Meghan!

Darren Flusche
League Policy Director

Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.

The first week of Bike Month has been exciting and filled with #bikemonth tweets, twit pics of sweet rides, more than 1,000 Facebook users committed to participating and encouraging riding this Bike Month by RSVPing to the Facebook May is Bike Month event, and hundreds of rides posted on bikeleague.org/bikemonth_events. Hopefully, you aren’t filling your days online with social networking because you are so busy riding and helping new riders learn the ropes of commuting. But if that isn’t the case, here’s a few reason’s why you should be participating in National Bike Month.

1) You need to save money! We all need to buy that house, send our kid to college or want to see your favorite band perform this summer. Why not save the money you spend on gas, and ride to work and your social gatherings instead? Think how much it costs to maintain your car and the cost per mile — expensive, right? Well, on average it only costs $155 a year to maintain your bicycle. Now take a minute to absorb into your brain what you could do with the savings.

The breakdown: Assuming you travel around 5,000miles/year (roughly what an average commuter would travel) here is a list of maintenance costs:

2 chains = $40
2 sets of tires = $80
1 set brake pads = $10
2 tubes = $15
Chain lube = $10
Total = $155
$155/5000miles = $0.03/mile

2) You have been trying to lose those 15 pounds for years and clearly drinking diet soda and skipping breakfast  isn’t working. Well, ride your bike and the food you eat is the fuel you burn off. Bike to work and back, and bam! — you’ve burned off breakfast and lunch. Talk about an easy way to exercise.

3) You need more fun in your life and time to reflect. Biking makes you feel like a kid — glide down a hill and take advantage of those moments of solitude when you’re biking. Plus, it’s fun to connect with friends and family over rides.

4) You’ve been looking for a way to volunteer but haven’t found the right fit. Teaching a kid to ride a bike can be your good deed for the day! If you want to outdo yourself in do-gooding, then teach your your co-workers the Rules of the Road and the way to bike to the office. Just one helpful person could convert a couple car-drivers into bike commuters. Think of the impact we could all have if we just asked our friends to bike to work with us.

5) The more bike riders on the road, the more jealous every one sitting in traffic will be! These frustrated motorists will see the smiles on our faces as we whiz by on our two-wheels and think, “Hey, why don’t I try biking to work?” Also, bike commuters can get their work to reimburse them with the Bike Commuter Tax Benefit.

Happy Bike Month America! Stay active this weekend and go for a ride with friends or your kids. Look for rides all over our country on our Bike Month Events page. If you have a particularly fun event, you could be the next Bike Month event we highlight!

Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.

The Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling posted:

It turns out that the fastest way to get to the Reston Town Center from the neighborhood near South Lakes High School, about 3 miles away, is to ride a bicycle. Bruce Wright of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) made the trip in just over 13 minutes.

The winner Bruce Wright (left) took 13 minutes on a bike. He is congratulated by Kathleen Driscoll McKee who took 52 minutes taking a bus. Photos by Mike McKee.

Another bicyclist who took the same route but rode at an easier pace, Kerie Hitt, also of FABB, arrived next 3 and a half minutes later. Delegate Ken Plum’s trip in his hybrid car took him 19 minutes. Taking the long route with a ride through Hunter’s Woods Village Center on the RIBS 2 bus on her way to the Town Center was Reston Association President and School Board candidate Kathleen Driscoll McKee. She had a leisurely trip of 50 minutes.

“This was a good simulation that demonstrates real alternatives to the automobile for short trips in Reston and the rest of our community” noted Delegate Plum. He also said that short car trips are the least efficient, even for his hybrid car, which only averaged 30 mpg on the 3 mile trip.

The group was met at the Pavilion by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins who is a long-time supporter of transportation alternatives for Hunter Mill District residents. She has supported Bike to Work Day in Reston from the beginning in 2002. The last several years she has appeared at the event on her folding bike. Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 20. The Reston event will be held at the Town Center Pavilion. Susan Stillman, who is a member of the Vienna Bicycle Advisory Committee and a FABB member, rode from Vienna to greet the group at the Pavilion and to congratulate Bruce.

According to Bruce, “Riding a bike for transportation is a viable option for many people. What we showed today is that bicycling and driving travel times are very comparable for short trips, and bicycling costs much less and is better for the environment. I didn’t use any foreign oil on the trip.”

While RA President Driscoll McKee had the longest trip, she noted that the RIBS 2 bus was nearly full during the trip. The fare was $1.50. As a bus rider she could read, check her email, or otherwise make productive use of her time. To schedule her trip we used WMATA’s Trip Planner, entering an origin, destination, and either arrival or departure time and selecting from the options. When Metrorail arrives in Reston local bus routes will be modified to provide more frequent service for accessing the Wiehle and Reston Parkway stations, making them a much more attractive alternative to driving and paying to park.

See coverage of the event on the Reston Patch, including a video segment.

See additional photos from the event. Photos by Mike McKee.

Reston will be one of many cities and areas participating in the D.C. metro area’s Bike to Work Day celebration on Friday, May 20 that is hosted by WABA.

Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.